Gul Plaza tragedy: Families protest over lack of updates on missing persons

KARACHI: The tragic fire at Gul Plaza has left several families in Karachi searching for missing loved ones, days after the incident. On MA Juna Road, relatives and victims’ families staged a protest today, raising slogans against the authorities for lack of action.

According to those affected, some family members have been missing for six days, with no news of their whereabouts. Among the missing is a young man who worked at one of the shops in the Gul Plaza. Relatives say they have received no assistance despite repeated appeals.

One family member stated that the missing man, aged 25, last called to say he had left the Gul Plaza, but later contact was lost. “We heard his voice briefly from inside, but soon after, communication was completely cut off,” the relative said.

Residents from New Karachi’s Godhra Colony are among those still searching for loved ones . “Our child has been missing for six days. We are running around, but no one is helping. The child used to support the household. His parents are devastated,” another relative said.

Authorities have yet to provide clear updates on the missing persons, leaving families frustrated and desperate. Hospital checks and other inquiries have so far yielded no results, according to the relatives.

The Gul Plaza fire, which destroyed a major portion of the building, has left hundreds of shopkeepers and workers in distress, many struggling to locate missing family members amid the ongoing rescue and recovery efforts.

A massive fire at Gul Plaza on M.A. Jinnah Road late Saturday night, January 17, has left the city in shock, claiming lives and leaving many unaccounted for. While the blaze has now been brought under control, the building remains structurally unstable.

Rescue teams, supported by the Army, Rangers, and civil authorities, continue searching for missing persons, while engineers assess the damaged structure. Authorities have set up help desks and DNA collection centres to assist in victim identification, and families of the missing are coordinating with officials.

The situation remains fluid, with new developments expected throughout the day.